


Dashiell Padalecki Ackles, Alpha-in-Training

by house_of_lantis



Series: Alpha Pack [6]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-27
Updated: 2011-02-27
Packaged: 2017-10-16 00:00:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/166246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/house_of_lantis/pseuds/house_of_lantis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Meet Dash, Jensen's and Jared's adopted 7-year old werewolf son. He's adorable, he's feisty, and he's just come into his Alpha instincts and he's already selected his Beta mate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dashiell Padalecki Ackles, Alpha-in-Training

Jensen paced the lobby of the Meridian Day School, checking his watch for the sixth time as Jared ran from the parking lot into the elementary school lobby. He felt a rush of warmth and relief to see his mate. He really didn’t want to have to sit through another Headmaster meeting alone. He was the pack Alpha, but being in the Headmaster’s office made him feel like a kid again.

“God, I’m sorry, I was dealing with a client who couldn’t pick between the color Champagne Brown and Champagne Bronze,” Jared said, leaning over to kiss Jensen’s cheek. He sighed, looking at the door to the school’s main office. “God, what did he do now?”

“Take it easy,” Jensen said, smiling at him. “You can’t just assume that it was his fault.”

Jared gave him a meaningful look. “This is the fourth time this year that we’ve been asked to come to the school.”

“I hate going to the Headmaster’s office,” Jensen muttered, shaking his head.

“Come on, it’s time to face the music.”

Jared placed his hand on Jensen’s back and followed him into the main office. Odette, the matronly office secretary, smiled at them as they came in.

“Hello, Odette,” Jensen said, looking around the quiet office. “We’re here to meet with Headmaster Blake.”

“Alpha,” she said, warmly. She twinkled at Jared. “Hello, Beta, it’s wonderful to see you again.”

“Hey, Odette, how are you?” Jared said, smiling at her.

Jensen gave him a sidelong glance and sighed internally. Really, when the hell was Jared going to stop flirting with every single living being on this earth?

“How’s the new Bentley running?”

She blushed, smiling shyly. “It’s beautiful. Thank you for giving Roger such a great discount.”

“Well, when he came in and told me that he was going to give it to you as a 25th anniversary present, I had to offer him the anniversary deal,” he said, leaning against the counter.

Jensen smiled, looking over at him. He knew that Jared probably took a loss when he sold them the car below Blue Book value. Jared gave him a knowing grin and a wink, his hand sliding down to pat Jensen affectionately on the ass.

“Dashiell is with the Headmaster,” she said, walking around her desk and leading them to the closed door, knocking on it once and opening it to show Jensen and Jared inside.

“Thank you, Odette,” Jensen said as she smiled, closing the door behind them.

“Hey, daddy,” Dashiell said to him. He sighed, looking up at Jared. “Hi, dad.”

“Dash,” Jared said, turning to give their son his ‘what did you do now’ look. He turned and shook Headmaster Blake’s hand. Jensen reached across the desk and shook his hand as well, his grip warm and firm.

Jensen looked at their 7-year old son, long and lanky legs moving back and forth restlessly, his chin tucked against his chest. Dashiell wasn’t their biological son. They adopted him when he was one-years old, a werewolf orphan without any living relatives. He was a good looking boy with messy hair and wide blue eyes and a dimpled grin that rivaled Jared. He didn’t look upset, just nervous and restless. For a split second, Jensen saw the adult werewolf that he would become.

“Thank you for coming,” the Headmaster said, motioning to the two chairs in front of his desk. “Please, have a seat.” He took a deep breath and gazed at them. “As we’ve discussed before, Dashiell is a remarkable student. He gets straight As, he’s very active and lively in class, and everyone here at Meridian loves him. However, this year has been full of ups and downs for him and we weren’t sure why. Dashiell says that nothing is wrong but he couldn’t account for his odd behavior – until today.”

“What happened today?” Jensen said, leaning forward.

“Alpha, it’s nothing to be overly concerned over, but I thought it best to address the situation with the both of you,” Blake said, holding up his hands.

“Are you saying that our son needs psychological counseling?” Jared said, his voice low.

Blake shook his head. “No. There’s nothing in his development or behavior that would warrant counseling.”

“Can you give us examples of his ‘odd’ behavior?” Jensen said, putting his hand on Jared’s wrist, soothing him with his touch.

Between the two of them, Jared worried more about his parenting skills than Jensen. He thought it was due to Jared’s own childhood experiences and how separate and different he felt growing up. They had long discussions about telling Dashiell about his proud werewolf heritage and what it meant living in a human society. He knew that any kind of “counseling” that Dashiell might need made Jared feel like he did something wrong as a parent. Jensen thought Jared was a brilliant dad and he admired Jared for reading dozens of books throughout Dashiell’s development and his active participation in the PTA.

Blake sighed and looked at Dashiell for a moment and then smiled, turning to look at them. “I believe that he’s preening.”

Jensen and Jared both blinked. They turned to look at Dashiell, who blushed a bright red and playing with the hem of his Rice University hoodie.

“Excuse me? Did you say preening?” Jared said, clearing his throat. “He’s only seven years old. Most werewolves don’t being preening until they’ve hit puberty.”

“As I said, Dashiell is a remarkable boy,” Blake said, smiling encouraging at Jared. “I’ve spoken with his teachers and with our counselor. He’s showing signs of having a crush on another student here and his odd behavior has escalated to the preening stage.”

Jensen covered his mouth with his hand to stifle his laugh. He coughed and cleared his throat. “Well…that certainly could explain the preening.”

“Hey, Dash,” Jared said, leaning closer to their son. “Is that true? Do you have a crush on someone at the school? It’s okay, son, you haven’t done anything wrong. We just need to know.”

Dashiell pressed his hands on his cheeks and blinked up at Jared. “There’s a boy…Timothy.”

“Timothy…?” Jensen said, softly. He turned to look at the Headmaster.

“I believe he’s referring to Timothy Lassiter,” Blake said, grinning slightly. “He’s in the same grade as Dashiell, but he’s in another class.”

Jensen bit his bottom lip and turned his head away so that Dashiell wouldn’t see him grinning crazily. He cleared his throat again and looked at the Headmaster. “Thank you for contacting us. We know what to do.”

“It might also be helpful to move Dashiell into Timothy’s classroom. We think that this transfer will help with some of his distracting behavior,” Blake said, softly. He turned to look at Dashiell. “Would you like to join him in Mrs Robbin’s class?”

Dashiell squirmed a little in his seat but then looked up at the Headmaster and nodded. “Yes, please.”

The Headmaster grinned as he looked at Jensen and Jared. “I thought it best to notify you of this so that you can help him understand the things that he’s feeling and how to best deal with it.”

“Of course,” Jensen said, standing. He shook the Headmaster’s hand. “Thank you for letting us know so quickly.”

“It’s unexpected in a boy his age, but not completely uncommon.”

Jared stood and held out his hand for Dashiell, holding tightly when Dashiell slipped his small hand over Jared’s palm. He reached over and shook the Headmaster’s hand. “Thanks again.”

“Dashiell, we’ll see you in Mrs Robbins first thing in the morning.”

“Yes, sir,” Dashiell said, taking a deep breath. He smiled and then ducked his head, standing closer to Jared.

Jensen opened the door and ran his hand affectionately over his son’s head as Jared led him out of the office.

The three of them walked silently out into the warm, sunny day and Jensen looked at his mate and they exchanged a wide smile. Jensen flicked his eyes to the sitting area adjacent to the parking lot and Jared nodded quickly.

“Hey, let’s go sit outside over there so we can talk,” Jared said, looking at Dashiell.

“Okay.”

They sat down on a colorful park bench with Dashiell in the middle. Jared flung his arm on the top of the bench, his hand caressing Jensen’s shoulder.

“So…why don’t you tell us a little about Timothy Lassiter,” Jensen began, gazing at his son.

“He’s really pretty and quiet,” Dashiell said, smiling widely. “He’s got short brown hair and I like his blue eyes.”

“Is he a werewolf, too?”

Dashiell nodded. “Yes. And he smells like…like…that spice that Auntie Morgan uses to make her pie during Thanksgiving—“

“Like pumpkin,” Jared said, looking over at Jensen.

Jesus, the kid was mate-scenting; and not only that, he was an Alpha-in-training. Werewolf pups developed their instincts during puberty, usually around the age of ten or twelve. Pups only showed a couple of genetic traits of being a dominant or a submissive, learning for themselves as they grew older whether they were Alpha or Beta; but for Dashiell to show signs of being an Alpha-in-training at his age…it really was rare. He and Jared would have to hire special tutors for Dashiell and begin his education on werewolf instincts right away. Dashiell needed to learn how to control and rein in his powerful emotions and instincts, especially if Timothy hadn’t developed his instincts yet.

Jensen sighed, wishing that their son could stay a pup just a little while longer. Dashiell was such an outgoing and happy pup, Jensen didn’t envy the next few years for their son – the emotional rollercoaster, the surge of new hormones and impulses, the craving to be with his mate…

“—and…and…like that flower…the purple one that’s all falling down,” Dashiell said, using his hands to show petals opening.

“Umm…an Iris?” Jensen said, looking at him.

“I think so,” Dashiell said and then sighed, falling back against the bench. “He’s shy. I try to talk to him but he just turns red and sometimes he just runs away.”

“So you’ve been trying to get his attention,” Jared said, moving his head back and smiling widely.

That explained the preening.

“Can you scent the other kids?” Jensen said, turning so that he could prop his arm over the back of the bench and face them.

“Yes, but I don’t like the way that they smell. I mean, they smell nice – the girls really smell pretty, like candy – but I like the way that Timothy smells the best. It fits.”

“What does it fit?”

Dashiell gave Jared a long look. “I think it fits me.”

Jensen looked away, biting his lips. Kid was just 7-years old and he’d already found his mate. God.

“I love him. He’s mine. I’m going to marry him and give him a collar when we grow up.”

Jensen looked at Jared, both of them probably wearing the same shocked expression. Jensen reached down and stroked Dashiell’s head gently.

“Where did you hear out about the collar?” Jensen said, frowning slightly. He was concerned with all the wrong information that was out there, even though he and the other pack Alphas worked hard to make sure that wrong information was purged in schools and in public.

“Timothy told me. He said that when two werewolves fell in love and wanted to get married, they got a collar. And he said that I would give him a collar – but not a silver collar or a dog collar like that stupid Benny said.” Dashiell grinned, looking from Jared to Jensen. “See, I told you that he’s really smart. He already knew about stuff like that, you know, grown up stuff.”

“But you said that he’s shy and he runs away,” Jared said, looking at him.

Dashiell nodded, solemnly. “He likes it when I chase him around the playground—“

He likes to be chased around the playground! He mouthed to Jared, who widened his eyes and mouthed back, I know!

Jensen grinned, shaking his head. He had to meet Timothy Lassiter. A true Beta-in-training…he probably was a perfect match for their son.

“—and he likes to study and he hardly talks that much. He likes to sit on the grass and read books about insects and space ships. He’s really smart and he sings in the choir and I think he’s great! He’s my best friend in the whole wide world. And he’s pretty. Not like girl pretty because he’s a boy so…so he’s boy pretty.”

Jensen bit his lip and pressed his face against his arm, shaking his head and looking pleadingly at Jared, unable to talk because he didn’t want to start laughing.

Jared chuckled softly. “You know, werewolves, we mate for life and it’s not easy finding your mate, even if you’re all grown up, so you’re pretty lucky.”

Dashiell nodded. “I know. I tried to kiss him today, but Timothy said that we can’t do that until we’re grown ups so…do you know when we’ll be grown ups?”

He cleared his throat and gave their son a stern look. “A few more years, Dashiell. Just remember, you can’t force him to do anything he doesn’t want to do.”

“Why would I force him?” Dashiell said, his blue eyes wide as he looked at him, frowning slightly. “Daddy, that’s wrong. I don’t want to hurt him or make him mad at me. He’s mine. I’m going to protect him and we’re going to have a great life together.”

Jensen sighed. Well, at least Dashiell understood that; his Alpha instinct to protect overriding his instinct to take.

“You know,” Jared drawled, smiling at Jensen. “I think we should have Timothy and his parents over to the house for dinner soon.”

“Yeah, can we? Can we, dad? Please? Please!” Dashiell said, slipping up on the bench on his knees and hopping up and down. “Please, please, please, please—“

“We’ll have to speak to Timothy’s parents first and extend the invitation,” Jensen said, chuckling softly. As the pack Alpha and Beta, no one would refuse their invitation, but they needed to see if Timothy really felt the same for Dashiell; and more importantly, they needed to be there for their son if Timothy refused the mating call, though from what Dashiell told them, Timothy was just as invested as Dashiell.

Dashiell let out a dramatic sigh of pleasure and slumped down on the bench again, his eyes looking sleepy, cheeks rosy, and a pleased smile on his face. “Maybe this weekend.”

Jensen looked at Jared and they nodded. “Your dad and I will talk about it and we’ll do what we think is best, okay?”

He blinked and then gazed up at Jensen, a dazed and blissful smile on his face. “Yes, daddy.”

***

Jensen fell on their bed, staring up at the ceiling. “I’m totally…amazed.”

Jared snickered, rolling on his stomach. “Alpha-in-training. Really?”

“Yeah,” he said, sighing deeply. “I can’t believe we missed the signs.”

“Well, we never thought that he’d come into his werewolf instincts before he was even in puberty,” Jared said, stroking his hand down Jensen’s chest.

“He’s going to need tutors to help him through this since he’s not in puberty yet,” Jensen told him, reaching down to weave his fingers through Jared’s hair. “It would’ve been a difficult period for him even if he was going through puberty, but he’s just a kid and it’s not going to make sense for a few years.”

“We’ll be there for him,” Jared said, closing his eyes.

“And we have to meet Timothy, see him for ourselves,” he said, worriedly. “He pretty much brought out that Alpha tendency in our son.”

“You think he’s a Machiavellian 7-year old?”

Jensen considered it for a moment. “Chris said that the Lassiter family was a good one; long history of being in Dallas; everyone in the family on both sides of the bloodline are active with the human and werewolf communities.”

“Did you seriously get Chris to do a background check on them? We haven’t even met them yet.”

“We’re the pack leadership, Jay,” he said, softly. He turned on his side and looked at his mate. “It’s political for us; it’s political for Dash. He’s going to be the Alpha-heir of Dallas pack some day, and his mate is going to be the pack Beta. What family wouldn’t give their soul to be a part of that legacy?”

Jared kissed him and ran his knuckles down Jensen’s cheek gently. “If their family is going to give up their soul or use their son to ensure a place in the pack leadership, then we’ll be there to make sure that our son knows how to protect himself. He won’t have the luxury to be innocent or naïve, not if he’s going to Alpha-heir. Your Grandfather taught you pack politics when you were young, too, but it didn’t destroy you.”

Jensen sighed, smiling softly. “I’m just being over-protective, right?”

“Yeah, especially if you think that a 7-year old is Machiavellian,” Jared said, snorting in amusement. "They're running on instinct and feelings. It's hardly about pack leadership."

“I really didn’t expect to have this kind of discussion with Dash until he was much, much older,” Jensen said, chuckling softly.

“Welcome to parenthood.”


End file.
